Editorial: Free travel sometimes treads a fine line

After legislation controlling privately funded travel for members of Congress was passed in 2007, in the wake of an influence-peddling scandal, the number of such trips dropped by two-thirds. But in recent years, they have been on the rise. Members of Congress, including some from Louisiana, took 493 privately funded trips in 2013, according to a USA Today analysis of data from Politcal MoneyLine, bringing the numbers back to pre-2007 levels.

And although these trips are within the limits of the law, there is some cause for concern.

The 2007 law prohibits legislators from taking trips funded by lobbying groups or groups that employ lobbyists, but does allow nonprofit groups to fund congressional travel for educational purposes.

Groups with political goals have used their nonprofit status as a loophole to get around the intent of the law, Craig Holman of the political watchdog group Public Citizen told The Daily Advertiser on Thursday.

Many of the trips are paid for by nonprofit groups created by and affiliated with lobbying groups.

The American Israel Education Foundation is one such 501(c)(3) group. It is affiliated with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, a lobbying group, according to a recent article by Gannett's Deborah Barfield Berry and Fredreka Schouten.

Rep. Steve Scalise, R-New Orleans, and his wife spent seven days in Israel, at a cost to the foundation of $23,352, to study issues affecting U.S.-Israel relations, according to the report. Paperwork was filed with the congressional clerk, as required by law.

Seventy-seven members of Congress were similarly enlightened in 2013, courtesy of the same foundation at a cost of $1.4 million.

Such trips may yield valuable information, but we question the need for family members to accompany lawmakers on fact-finding missions. If they do, they should pay their own way, Holman said.

That sounds fair.

The Heritage Foundation, a sponsor of more modest trips to domestic destinations, recently hosted 68 members of Congress at a three-day retreat in Baltimore. Rep. John Fleming, R-Minden, and Scalise and their wives were among them.

The political arm of the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, actively supports and opposes legislation.

On the liberal side, more than 20 Democrats attended a "strategy summit" outside Baltimore on the tab of the Progressive Congress, which is affiliated with liberal activist groups.

Travel is often necessary for lawmakers to learn about issues that affect their constituents. But there is money in committee budgets for necessary travel, Holman said. And every member of Congress has a personal financial allowance, which can be used for travel.

Last year, U.S. Rep. Charles Boustany Jr., R-Lafayette, gave a talk on U.S. natural gas at the Pacific Energy Summit in Vancouver, British Columbia. The trip was paid for by the National Bureau of Asian Research.

That sounds like a worthwhile trip.

But the problem with accepting any trips from private groups is that it just doesn't make any sense for them to shell out thousands of dollars unless they were pushing - however gently - some kind of political message. Some may have legislation pending before Congress.

And although there is no suggestion that members of Congress who follow the stringent reporting rules that govern such travel are trading favors for gratuities, there is always the possibility of being influenced by one's hosts.

The old adage holds true: There's no such thing as a free lunch.

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Editorial: Free travel sometimes treads a fine line

After legislation controlling privately funded travel for members of Congress was passed in 2007, in the wake of an influence-peddling scandal, the number of such trips dropped by two-thirds. But in